Cap for hot tops



-June 24, 1930. E. MESSLER ET AL CAP FOR HOT ITOPS Filed May 9, 1929 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE* EUGENE L. MESSER AND JAMES GrU'IH'R'IlnA 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA;

- SAIDGUTIr-RIE ASSIGNOR TO SAID MESSLER 1 CAP yFOR HOT TOPS Appflicatlion filedY May 9,

This invention relates to a refractory cap for use on ingot mold hot tops. Y

The general object of the invention is to provide a cap which .will cover and largely close the bore opening at the! upper end of the hot top, to conserve heat and thereby further delay solidiiication of metal in the hot top, thus further reducing the length of thesinlrhead therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide arefractory cap arrangedto cover the bore opening of the hot top,rwhich has a portion extending downwardly into the bore of the hot top, which is free tojbe moved longitudinally inthe bore, and which extends into the bore ofthe hot top a 'sufficient distance to be floated by molten metal in the hot top when the desired level of such metal has been reached in teeming.

.Another object kof the invention is to so contour .the teeming orifice throughthe cap, and the lower metal contacting portion of the cap body that there is no surface presented upon which metaly may solidify in such manner as to produce Aa hanging'in'got.

In the accompanying drawings Figure I is a central vertical vsection through the simplest form of the refractory cap. of the present invention, showing the same 1n posito tionon'a hot top; 4Figure-'II is a similar View of such simple form, but showing a greater downward extension 'of the cap to contact metal within the hot top at allower level therein; and Figure yIII is a similar view of a modified form of'hot top.

In the drawings the referencenumerall designates the ingot mold hot top, and the 'reference numeral 2 designates generally the refractory cap as shown-in Figs. I and II.

Refractory cap 2 'comprises a cover portion 3 provided with a seating shoulder 4 arranged to rest on the upper edge y5 of the lhot top, to supportl the cap and cover the opening at the upper end of the bore G with` in the hot top. Extending downwardly into the bore of the hot top is a lcap portion 7, which is lesser peripheral extent than the hot top bore in that region. While the cap is thus supported on the hot top by means of the seating shoulder 4, it 1s free toebe through the cap,

192e. serial' No. 361,620.

moved upwardly in the bore, and unseated from its position of rest on the hot top.

The Ateeming vorifice 8 extends completely K and is disposed substantially centrallyv thereof. This orifice 8 isV desirably provided with an upper portion 9 the wall of which flares upwardly, or converges downwardly, to approximately the horizontal plane at the junction of the cover portion 3 and the ldownwardly extending portion 7 of the cap. In all figures of the drawings this horizontal plane is indicated by the reference numeral A. TheA lower portion l() of the orifice is not so formed, but is shown in Figs I and II as having a wall equally spaced throughout the extent of this portion ofthe teeming orii'ice.

In the use of the hot top, the molten metal is teemed through the orifice 8, untilr it has filled the ingot mold with which the hot top is used, and has risen'into the body of the 4'hot top. An indication a's'toV the level which the molten metal has reached within the bore of the hot top is given by the refractory cap. v As the downwardly ,extending portion 7 of the cap is loosely iitted in the hot top bore, the cap as a'whole floats on the metal, and is lifted from its Seaton the hot top, when the level of the metal'in the bore of the hot top passes the lower surface of the downwardly extending portion of the cap.

With different'grades 'and composition of steel, it is desirable to have the metal extend diiferent distances into the hot top, these distances being in accordance with the characteristics of the metal itself, and the 'depth of segregated sinlhead which is to be anticipated within the bore of the hot top. For this reason the caps are provided with downwardly extending portions of different length, in accordance with the desired level of metal in the hot top. The cap thus gives adequate warning when such desired level has :been reached, as its unseating movement is visible to those teeming the ingot. v

When the ingot has been fully teemed, and the molten lmetal has risen the desired distance in the bore of the hot top, vas indicated by the unseating of the cap, pouring is immediately discontinued and cooling is permitted to take place. During the cooling of the metal, the-cap rfloated thereby,

retards the dissipation of heat through theV bore opening at the upper end of the hot top. This obviously contributes to the desired eflect of a slow and gradual cooling of this portion of the metal, and further facili-- tates the escape of gas through this portion,

during the solidification of the ingotiin the mold.

IIIV of the drawings, the refractory cap 2a has a cover portion which itself seatsr within the body of the mold by means of an inclined shoulder el engaging an inclined shoulder ,2l-l formed at tho upper end of the hot top bore. While the cap rests upon the hot top in this manner the inclination of the shouldersV permits the ui'iserating of thiscover portion. v i

The `downwardly extending portion "a of the cap in this modification also, does not lit the bore tightly, and is free so that the cap itself may be floated upwardly in the bore of the hot top. Asshown, the lower surface 11' of this downwardly extending portion 7 is curved. This curvature of the surface provides additional protection against hanging ingots, in that itV wholly Vavoids the possibility that metal may worl;

` got.

the downwardly extending in I between .the cap and the inner wall of the hot top, to` solidify therein in such manner'as would tend to produce a hanging in- The-curvature of this lower surface of portion, as shown in Fig. IH is continued into the lower portion l()a of the teeming' orifice 8a'. T his form of the lower portion ofthe orifice facilitates removal of the cap from the metal without breakage, when the 'metal in contact with the cap has become partiallyor wholly solid- 1 ined.

Vhat we claim is:

l. A refractory cap for ingot mold hot tops comprising a cover portion arranged'to cover the bore opening at the upper end of lthe hot top, a seating shoulder arranged to Y,

rest on the hot top, a portion arranged to .v extend downwardly a material distance from 1 the upper end and into the bore Vof the hot top, and a teeming orifice extending through both said cover portion and said substantially centrally of both said portions.

2. A refractory cap'foringot mold hot tops comprising a cover portion arranged to cover the bore opening atV the upper end of the hot top, a seating shoulder arranged to rest on the hot top, a portion arranged to extend downwardly a material vdistance from the upper end and into the bore of the hot top, said .portiony being; so dimensioned horizontally relatively to the bore ofV the hot top as to be free to float on moltennietal therein," and a teeming Vorifice extending through both said cover portion and said l downwardly extending portion and disposed substantially centrally of both said portions.

3. A refractory. cap for ingot mold hot tops comprising a cover portion arranged to cover the bore opening at thefupper end of the hot top, a seating shoulder arranged-` to rest on the hot top, a portion arranged to extend downwardly from the upper end and into the bore of thehot toprv tobelow the desired level of molten metal therein', and

a teeming orifice extending through ,botlif said cover-portion and said downwardly extending portion rand disposed, substantially centrally of both thereof. l V l. yA refractory cap for ingot mold het tops.l comprising a cover portion arranged to cover the bore opening at the upper end of a hot top, a seating shoulder arranged to rest on the hot-top, a portion arranged to extend downwardly a material-distance .into the bore of the hot top, anda teeming.

orifice extending through both said cover portion and said downwardly extending porvtion and disposed substantially centrally of both said portions, said downwardly extending portionl having a lower surface rounded outwardly from the teeming orifice thereof and inwardly from the bore of the liottop.

5. A refractory cap for ingoty moldihot tops comprising a cover' portion arranged to cover the bore opening at the upper end of a liot top, a seating shoulder arranged torrest on the, hot top, a portion arranged to extend downwardly into the bore of the hot Vtop to below the desired level of molten metal therein, and a'teeming orifice extending through said covery portion and said downwardly extending portion and disposed substantially centrally of boththereof, said downwardly extending portion having a lower surface rounded outwardly from the teeming orifice thereof and inwardly from thev bore of the hot top.

kln testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands. i Y

EUGENE L., MESSLER. JAMES M. GUTHRIE.

downwardly extending. portion and disposed 

